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R&B star Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas chugged protein drinks as a kid in a bid to speed up the puberty process and develop her curves.

The slender TLC singer reveals she struggled with self-esteem issues as a young girl because she would always compare her flat chest to those of her more busty classmates, and she took desperate measures boost her boobs.

She tells celebrity writer Allison Kugel, "(I struggled with) just being the smallest one; that was always an issue for me. I didn't care about the height part, but when I was in eighth grade I remember you had a few (girls) with the boobs and the hips and stuff, and I was like, 'Man!'.

"I used to drink this weight gain drink. It was this powder you mix with milk. I would get up every morning to see if I had gained any weight, and that never happened for me.

"I was a late bloomer, and that was my issue growing up. Now I love my small boobs, and I have for many years. I'm alright with myself."

Thomas has since used her own experiences to mentor teenage girls through her non-profit organization, Chilli's Crew.

She explains, "The number one thing is their self-esteem. I really try to work with them on that and help them not to focus so much on the little things that seem so big to them right now.

"I do remember being that age and an older person telling me that. You just think they don't know what they're talking about. But the fact that I'm Chilli from TLC, they'll listen to me more and I love that."

She adds, "I also tell them not to use their current circumstances as an excuse to not succeed. A lot of times young people will say that they're a product of their environment and that is all they know. That's not a good excuse. If you're in a bad situation, whether you're in foster care or were abused, or whatever it is, you know that doesn't feel good so don't repeat that. Use it as a stepping stone to get out there and make a difference, and spread the word about it."